ALEX MCLEISH has urged Rangers boss Mark Warburton to end his BT Sport boycott and get the detractors off his back by winning games.

Warburton refused to participate in a post-match interview with the broadcasters following last Friday’s match at Inverness.

It is believed he took the huff after being stung by criticism from outspoken BT Sport pundit Chris Sutton.

But former Rangers manager McLeish believes Warburton needs to rise above it and fulfil his obligations.

He said: “By and large everybody has to pay respect to the guys who are writing stuff and commentating, especially when you’ve got good sponsorship and it’s part of that sponsorship to speak on your club’s behalf.

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“BT Sport are part of the game. We have to respect that money is put into the game by TV companies.

“So maybe Mark has to reassess why he did that.

“Whether he’s been told by someone else not to do it (I don’t know), but I would imagine the rules make it part of your duties.

“I’ve always thought that just getting results would make a world of difference.

“I’m not criticising Mark, I’m just saying that it’s a learning curve and it’s new for him because he came into the game quite late as a head coach.

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Mark Warburton refused to speak to BT Sport after Friday's match at Inverness

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“He has adapted to it brilliantly with the job he did at Brentford and the relative success he has had at Rangers.”

Warburton’s reaction to his row with Sutton could be an attempt to forge a siege mentality at Ibrox, but McLeish, who was appearing on behalf of BT Sport, insists the 54-year-old must not lose sight of the bigger picture.

“Maybe that’s one of his tactics,” he said. “I know that a lot of managers have used that in the past and continue to use it, but he knows as well as everyone else that the main thing with Rangers is that you need to win.”

Warburton isn’t the first manager to boycott a broadcaster, with Sir Alex Ferguson blanking the BBC for seven years while at Manchester United.

But McLeish says Ferguson was in a unique position. He added: “You’re thinking at some stage they would be waiting to get him, but they never did because Sir Alex was too successful.”

BT Sport is your home of unmissable live football from the BetFred League Cup and SPFL. Watch Rangers v Celtic in the BetFred League Cup Semi-Final exclusively live on BT Sport 1 this Sunday from 1.15pm.